title: Cantharidin-based small molecules as potential therapeutic agents.
abstract: Chemical and pharmacological information on cantharidin-based small molecules was analyzed. The review summarizes new facts about blister beetles' metabolites for the period 2006-2012. General synthetic approaches to cantharidin-based small molecules as well as their chemical transformations and biological activities related to cantharidin, norcantharidin, cantharidimide, and norcantharimide analogs, especially their inhibitory activity of phosphoprotein phosphatases in cancer treatment, were discussed in this mini review, which could help to design new small molecule modulators for other biological models.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Química Orgánica y Biomolecular, Escuela de Química, Universidad Industrial de Santander, A.A. 678, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Puerto Galvis
authors.forename: Leonor Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Vargas Méndez
authors.forename: Vladimir V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Kouznetsov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D002193:Cantharidin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; C069741:norcantharidin; D010749:Phosphoprotein Phosphatases; D002193:Cantharidin
keywords: Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions; anticancer activity; blister beetles; cantharidin analogs; drug design and development; protein phosphatases inhibitory activity